Apparatus for spreading manure



Sept. 22, 1953 w. E. TEMPLETON APPARATUS FOR SPREADING MANURE 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed NOV. 24, 1950 INVENTOR. WILLIAM ETEMPLETON v aln E -nu HH JHnU-UH BL Sept. 22, 1953 Flled Nov 24, 1950 Sept. 22, 1953 w. E. TEMPLETON 2,653,028

APPARATUS FOR SPREADING MANURE Filed Nov. 24,1950 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTOR. WILLIAM ETEM PLE QN ATTORNEY W. E. TEMPLETON APPARATUS FOR SPREADING MANURE Sept. 22, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 24, 1950 A TTOPNf V Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for spreading soil treating material over an area in a rapid and economical manner. The apparatus includes mechanism particularly adapted for spreading manure, whereby the latter, during feeding thereof, is conditioned into substantially pulverized form and fed to the spreading elements or members and the latter in turn deliver or discharge the manure to the surface to be covered throughout the width of the path traversed by the apparatus and areas adjacent thereto.

The manure, as supplied to the apparatus, consists of a mixture of droppings and hay or straw or other fibrous materials disposed in separate and intermixed masses or lumps which have to be disintegrated into a condition or state which permits the delivery or discharge of the manure by the spreading elements, so that a layer of the manure may be spread uniformly on the soil or surface to be fertilized in the form of a layer, 1

whereby treatment of the area to be fertilized uniformly and without waste of the manure results.

The apparatus may be incorporated in a tractor type of vehicle but by preference, as shown herein, it is removably attached to and drawn by a tractor.

The apparatus includes means for cutting or disintegrating the manure while feeding it to the spreading elements, whereby lumps and masses are reduced to a substantially uniformly pulverized condition and delivered to the spreading elements, so that the latter may effect a discharge of the manure in a uniform manner throughout the width of the path traversed by the apparatus.

The apparatus includes a body adapted to hold a large quantity of manure and having (a) at one end means for connection to the tractor and adjacent its opposite end suitable supporting wheels and (b) an endless conveyor the upper run of which is supported on and moves along the bottom of the body to feed the manure to the conditioning devices at selected speeds coordinated to the speed of the tractor, whereby a layer of the manure of suitable thickness and in desired quantities may be spread on the soil or surface during translation of the apparatus.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism having sets of revoluble spreading elements and correlated sets of devices arranged to condition the manure into a substantially pulverized state and deliver it to the spreading elements.

Another object of the invention isto provide of revoluble devices adapted to simultaneously feed and disintegrate masses or lumps of the manure into substantially pulverized condition, so that all portions of the manure may be spread substantiall uniformly on the surface to be treated or fertilized.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of this type having sets of radially disposed driven devices, to which the manure is fed, for disintegration, the devices being of a rectilinear shape, whereby the centrifugal forces incident to the revolving movement thereof serve to prevent adhesion or accumulation of manure and/or straw or other material on the devices.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figs. 1 and 1a, taken together, show a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention, parts being broken away, the tractor or other type of propelling vehicle being omitted;

Fig. 1b is a fragmentary side elevation of parts shown in Fig. l, somewhat enlarged;

Figs. 2 and 2a show a plan view of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 111;

Fig. 2b is a section on the line 2b2b of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. l, enlarged;

Fig. 4. is a fragmentary section on the line i i of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is a front elevation substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, I indicates as an entirety an elongated body of a size to hold a large quantity of manure, as shown at 0:. The body I consists of a bottom la, side walls lb, lb, and a front wall la. The front or inner end portion of the bottom la is suitably secured to sills 2, which in turn are mounted on a frame 2a. The frame 2a extends outwardly, as shown at 2'0, and terminates in a hitching device 3 of any suitable construction, whereby the frame 2a may be detachably connected to a tractor or other self-propelled vehicle. 4 indicates an axle suitably secured to the bottom la inwardly of its outer end, the opposite ends of the axle terminating in spindles for wheels 40,.

5 indicates a driving connection adapted to be detachably connected to the power take-off of the tractor, consisting of an outer shaft section 511 drivingly connected by a universal joint to an inner shaft section 5b. The shaft sections 5a, 5b, extend through a tubular guard or enclosure 6 suitably supported by a standard Ba, fixed to the frame 2a. of the shaft section 5b is connected tow the hub of a sprocket and extends through the latter for connection to one element ofia suitable slip clutch 8. The slip clutch {serves as a safety device in the event any memb'ero'r elmen't of the driving mechanisms or driven parts break or are prevented from operating.

Theclutch 8 is fixedly mounted in an opening formed in the front wall lb. The sprocket l is engaged by an endless sprocket chain lot which engages with and drives a sprocket 9. The sprocket 9 is fixed to the inner end of a shaft lil which extends along and exteriorly of the side lb of the body l and provides power for the mechanisms later referred to. The shaft E9 is mounted in spaced bearings provided in fittings llla, lflb (two being shown), which are fixed to studdings lfic on the adjacent side lb of the body I, and a hanger lttd mounted in a housing lllr.

, ll indicates as an entirety an endless conveyor for feeding th manureto; a. plurality of combined feeding and conditioning devices, indicated as entireties at l2, i212, l3, respectively. The conveyor l l consists of spaced endless chains lla connected together by uniformly spaced, transversely disposed manure engaging devices llb, each preferably consisting of an angl and suitably connected at its opposite ends to alined links of the chains lla. The chains lla reeve about inner and outer pairs of sprockets llc, ild,,the sprockets l lc being rotatably mounted on transversely disposed studshafts I la mounted in the side walls lb, lb, adjacent the front or inneriendcf the bottom l'ct'and the sprockets i ld being fixed to the opposite ends of 'a transverse shaft lld disposed at the outer or rear end' of the bottom la. The shaft l ld' is mounted insuit'able bearings provided in hangers l t. The shaft lid is intermittently driven in the manner later set forth. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and i, the shafts llc, lld, are supported in a plane below the upper-surface of the bottom la, in which arrangement the'upper run of th conveyor ll is supported on and s'li'de'sendwise of thebottom la from its'inner end to its outer end (as indicated by the'arrows) and the lower run returns below the bottom. As shown in'Fig. 2, the width of the'conveyor'll approximates the area of the bottom la between the body sides lb, lb, so that the engaging devices llb engage and feed outwardly the entire body of the manure supplied to the body l. 'lx indicates a wall suitably disposed between andisecured along its opposite ends to thes'i'des lb, lb, and inclined downwardly and outwardly, its'lo wer end terminating in close relation to the inner end of the bottom la, so'that all of the'man'ure supplied to the body l will be in p'osition'for engagement by the conveyor ll.

The bodysides lb, lb, adjacent'their outer ends, are provided'withupper and lower pairs of alined bearings through which shafts l5, l5a,

The inner end portion extend, respectively, the device I 2 being mounted on the shaft l5 and the device l3 being mounted on the shaft lEa. The shafts l5, l5a, are driven at the same speed counter-clockwise (as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4) in the manner later set forth.

The device l2 comprises a plurality of blades l2 rigidly secured to and projecting radially from the shaft IS in one or more helical formations or rows about theaxis of said shaft, two such formations in axially adjoining relation on the shaft being here shown. The blades of each helical formation are substantially equidistantly spaced from one another both axially and circumferentially of the shaft, and each blade is of a length, forexample from' three to eight inches, which is a plurality of times greater than the diameter of thesha'ft l 5. when more than one helical blade formation is employed the blades of axially adjoining formations preferably are arranged to wind in opposite directions; in other words, as viewed in Fig. 3, the blades l2 on the left-hand half of the shaft lliwind in a direction to constitute a left-hand helix while the blades on the other half of said shaft are arranged to constitute a right-hand helix. As here shown, each helical formation makes approximately one'and one-half turns about the shaft, and the one formation is offset circumferentially of the shaft substantially from the other.

The blades [3' of the device l3 are of a length similar to that of the blades l2 and are arranged on their shaft [50. in helical sets or formations similar to those'of said blades l2 as regards circumferential and axial spacing of the several blades; and since the shafts l5 and i511. rotate in the same direction, each helical formation of blades l3 winds in the same direction as the adjacent or complementary set of blades if in order that successive pairs of blades l2 and I3 may mate 'or assume a conjunctive relation as the shafts are rotated. That is to say, each blade i3 is alined, longitudinally of the machine, with a companion blade l2 and th several blade formations are so arranged circumferentially of their respective shafts that in conjunction with the like direction of winding of the adjacent or complemental sets on the two shafts, once during each revolution of said shafts each such longitudinally alined pair of blades assumes a conjunctive radially alined position, as shown in Fig. 4. The length of the blades is such in relation to the spacing of the axes of the shafts l5 and l5a that when the pairs of blades are in this conjunctiverelation the ends of the blades are appreciably' spaced from one another, as will be clear from this figure.

The device l2rr consists of a tranverse wall having sides at itsopposite ends suitably supported on the body sides lb, lb. The wall I20; extends from a point inwardly of the device i2 to a point outwardly thereof, and servesto guide the conditioned material to'a plurality of spreading ele ments l 6, Whichare' later referred to. The intermediate section i212 thereof (in a direction'longitudinally of the body I) is of arcuate shape concentric to the orbit of the tips or outer ends of the blades l2, to co -act therewith to supplement the disintegration of'the'manure by the blades l2, l3, as the latter revolve. The arcuate section I233 is'preferably spaced from the orbit of the tips of theblades l2" approximately a distance equal to the spacingof the tips of the blades l2, [3, when the latter are in co-acting relation, as later set forth. In apparatus built 'by me, the outer ends of the 'blades,when in conjunctive relation, are spaced approximately two inches. shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the blades l2, l3, are flat and relatively thin and of rectilinear shape, whereby their terminating ends serve to cut and effect a disintegration of the masses of the ma nure as later set forth. As will be observed, the blades l2, l3, revolv counter-clockwise at the same speed (as later set forth) and co-act in the aforesaid planes, respectively, as indicated by the arrows 5D, r, so that successive blades l2 in each row on the shaft [5 progressively co-act with the corresponding successive blades l3 in the adjacent row on the shaft [5a to effect a disintegrating co-action between them as they re-' volve. By preference, the shaft I5 is disposed in a vertical plane forwardly of the shaft I5a. In this arrangement, the blades l3 serve to raise the manure and direct it into the path of the blades l2, whereby both sets of blades and wall I23: function to feed the manure outwardly to the spreading elements It. Due to the shape of the blades and their alined spaced relation, when in co-acting position, and the co-action of the blades l2 and wall section l2x', those masses or lumps of the manure, which are larger than the spacing of the blade tips when in co-acting relation, and the spacing of the wall section 523:, are cut up and disintegrated into a substantially pulverized condition while simultaneously feeding outwardly the disintegrated and smaller portions of the manure, with the result that the entire body of the manure is in a condition which insures the spreading thereof on the soil or surface to be fertilized in the form of a layer the thickness of which may be controlled by the rapidity of the intermittent movement of the conveyor II in relation to the speed at which the tractor is driven.

Each shaft l5, Ida, preferably consists of an inner member the opposite ends of which are mounted in the bearings already referred to and an enclosure lfia: fixed to and extending along that portion of the member disposed between the sides lb, lb. The enclosures are preferably square shape in cross section to simplify the welding of the inner ends of the blades in position.

The spreading elements it consist of radially extending plates suitably fixed at their inner ends to a shaft liia in uniformly spaced relation about the latter, each having diverging side edges to provide a wide surface at its outer end portion for engagement with the conditioned manure. The elements it at one side of an imaginary point intermediate the ends of the shaft lBa. are inclined in one direction to discharge the manure outwardly and laterally, whereas the elements on the opposite side of the imaginary point are inclined in the opposite direction to discharge the manure outwardly and laterally, whereby the path traversed by the apparatus and the area along each side thereof is covered with a layer of manure. The shaft Ilia is driven in a counterclockwise direction as later set forth. The opposite ends of the shaft lea are mounted in suitable bearings provided in hollow bosses [6b, which are welded on and adjacent the outer ends of spaced supports ltc. The supports [6c are suitably secured to the outer end portions of the body sides lb, lb, and extend outwardly therefrom to space the sets of spreading elements It from the sets of conditioning devices l2, 13.

The driving connections for the shafts l5, l5a and ltd are preferably arranged to rotate the shafts l5, lbs, at a high speed and the shaft [6a at a higher speed and consist of the following: The outerend of the shaft 10 is provided with a bevel gear 20 in mesh with a bevel ear 20a on the adjacent end of the shaft l5'a to drive the latter. The opposite end of the shaft l5a extends through the side lb and is provided with inner and outer sprockets 2| and 22. The sprocket 2| is engaged by an endless chain 21a, which engages a sprocket 21b fixed to the adjacent end of the shaft IE to drive the latter. The sprockets 2i, 2 lb, have the same number of teeth, whereby the speed of the shaft I5 is driven at the same speed as that of the shaft [5a. The sprocket 22 is engaged by an endless chain 22a which engages a sprocket 2% on the adjacent end of the shaft its, the sprocket 22b having a lesser number of teeth as compared to the number of teeth on the sprocket 22, whereby the shaft liia is driven at a speed greater than that of the shaft lea.

The conveyor I! is intermittently operated by the shaft 45, by the following mechanism wherein provision is made to adjust the length of travel of the conveyor H in each intermittent movement in co-ordinated relation thereof to any desired speed of the tractor; 23 indicates an eccentric mounted on that end of the shaft l5 adjacent the body side lb and outwardly of the latter. The eccentric 23 revolves within a collar 23a to which the inner end of a link 24 is con nected and endwise operated as the eccentric revolves. The outer end of the link 24 is provided with a lateral extension 24a fitting into an elongated slot 25 formed in the side wall of an elongated arm 25a. The inner end of the arm 25a is pivoted on the extended end of the shaft lid to oscillate thereabout due to the operation of the link I provide a ratchet wheel 26 which is fixed to the shaft lid inwardly of the arm 25a. 2? indicates a dog pivotally mounted at one end on the arm 25a, its opposite end being arranged to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 26. In this arrangement, the extension 24a of the link 2%, through its engagement with the side walls of the slot 25, serves to oscillate the arm 25a, so that in the downstroke of the link 24, the dog 2! moves clockwise relative to the ratchet wheel 26 and rides the adjacent teeth thereof, but in the upstroke of the link 2:? the dog El engages a tooth on the wheel 26 and rotates the latter a predetermined angular distance the effect of which is to operate the conveyor l l, successive operations of the dog 2? in the manner set forth serving to provide an intermittent movement of the conveyor 5 l and fed the manure in the body l outwardly. The dog 2? is connected to a spring 25, which yieldably maintains the dog in engagement with the ratchet wheel 26. As shown in Fig. 1, the extension Eda is disposed at the outer end of the slot 25, in which position of the extension the oscillations of the arm 25a are of minimum length and a corresponding limited travel in each intermittent movement of the conveyor ll results. To increase the length of the oscillations of the arm 25a and a corresponding increase in the travel in each intermittent movement of the conveyor ll, the extension Ma is adjusted inwardly along the slot 25 to any selected position, whereby the distance of travel of the conveyor H in successive intermittent movements thereof and feed of the manuremay be co-ordinated with the speed at which the tractor is to bedriven during spreading of the manure. 219: indicates a separate dog pivotally mounted on a stud shaft supported on the side lb. The dog engages the teeth on the ratchet wheel 26 and prevents movement thereof in a rearward direction, but rides the teethwhen the wheel is. being rotated by the dog 21. A-spring 211: connected at one end to the dog- 22'2: and suitably anchoredat its opposite endserves tobias the dog toward the ratchet teeth on the wheel 26.; The adjusting mechanism for the extension 24a consists of the following: 29 indicates a manually operated lever preferably disposed adjacent the inner end of the body side lb and suitably fixed to one end of a rock. shaft 29a. The shaft, 29a is mounted in bearings which are shown supported on the front ends of the side walls, lb, lb'. The opposite end of the shaft, 29a is providedwith an arm 2,912, the outer endof which is pivotally connected to a rod 290' extendingalong and exteriorly of the body side lb, the outer end of the rod being pivotally connected to the. outer end of theextension 24a. As shown in Fig. 1, a trigger mechanism is associated with the lever 29;, this mechanism including a dog 30 arranged to engage and disengage an-arcuate ratchet 30a and a spring biased trigger 36b, connected to the dog 30 for disengaging it from the ratchet 30a when the lever 29 is to be operated- When the lever 29 is operated to adjust the extension. 24a to the selected position, the trigger 38b is released to permit the dog 39 to engage the ratchet'30a, which looks the lever in operated position and secures the extension in adjusted position.

In operation, the entire body of manure supplied to the body I is intermittently fed outwardly into engagementv with the revolving devices I2, [3, and into the space between the device l2 and the wall 2:13, the blades I3 engage portions of the manure and carry such portions upwardly into engagement with the device 12 and outwardly for engagement with the spreading elements 16, whereas the-device I2 engages other portions of the manure and carries such portions upwardly and outwardly relative to the wall 121: for engagement by the spreading elements l6 as shown by the arrows d, and simultaneously the blades I2, 13, and wall section IZac co-act on the manure to-reduce and disintegrate it into a substantially-pulverized condition, so that as the body I is driven forwardly, a layer of the pulverized manure is spread on the soil or surface to be treated. By correlating the feed of the manure to the devices l2, l2x, I3, by the intermittent movements of the conveyor, in relation to the driving speed of the tractor, a layer of manure of a substantially predetermined thickness may be uniformly spreadover the path traversed by 'the body I and areas along the opposite sides thereof, .to insure an adequate and uniform treatment of the soil to be fertilized.

It will be-observed that each of the blades I2, 13', extends radially and devoidof lateral extensions and as the revolution of each set of blades establishes a centrifugal force on the manure while it is being disintegrated and fed outwardly by the blades I2, 13, accumulation of manure and/or straw-on or aroundthe blades is eliminated, so that theblades are automatically maintained free of accumulations thereon and therefore capable of functioning effectively.

22.2 indicates an adjustable take up mechanism for the chain. 22a.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention wi1l=suggest themselves without departing from :the 'spirit :and,-scope .of the invention. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended tobe in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

l. A material shredding and spreading mechanism for use'in' load feeders including a material carrying body having an open rear end, said mechanism comprising a pair of rotatably mounted vertically spaced parallel shafts disposed transversely of said body adjacent its said open end; means for driving said shafts in the same direction and at the same speed; a series of shredding blades secured to each of said shafts in helical formation about the axis thereof, said blades extending radially outward from each shaft a distance substantially greater than the diameter of such shaft, the successive blades of each helical formation being equidistantly spaced Circumferentially of its shaft, the helical formations being so disposed on the respective shafts that once during each revolution of the shafts each blade on one shaft assumes a conjunctive radially alined position with a corresponding blade on the other shaft in which position the outer ends of such blades are in at least slightly spaced relation; a third shaft disposed transversely of the body rearwardly of the first mentioned shafts; a plurality of inclined spreading elements carried by said third shaft; and means for rotating such shaft .and elements,

2. A material shredding and spreading mechanism for use in load feeders including a loadcarrying body having an open rear end, said mechanism comprising a pair of rotatably mounted parallel shafts disposed transversely of said body adjacent its said open end, one of said shafts being positioned upwardly and forwardly of the other; means for driving said shafts in the same direction and at the same speed; a plurality of .sets of shredding blades secured to and extending radially outward from each of said shafts, each such blade set being arranged in helical formation about the axis of its shaft with the axially adjoining helical formations on each shaft winding in opposite directions and the corresponding formations on the two shafts winding in the same direction, said blades being of .a length equal .to a plurality .of times the diameter ,of their respective shafts and being equidistantly spaced circumferentially of such shafts with each blade of one shaft being alined longitudinally of the body with a corresponding blade of the other shaft, theseveral helical blade formations being so arranged on the respective shafts. that once during each revolution of the shafts each of said longitudinally alined pair of blades assumes aconjunctive radially alined position inwhich the .outer ends of such blades are substantially spaced from .one another; a third shaft disposed transversely of the body rearwardly .of the first mentioned shafts; sets of. inclined spreading elements carried by said third shaft; :and means .for rotating .such shaft and elements.

WILLIAM E. TEMPLETON.

References Cited "in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,328,618 Cook Jan. 20, 1920 1,868,337 Storm July 19, 1932 2,094,572 Hendricks et al. Sept. 28, .1937 2,239,448 Selhorst Apr. 22, 19.41 2,256,815 Raney'etal V .Sept. 23,1941 2,274,481 Johnston Feb. 24, 1942 2,342,837 Brown", Feb. 29, 1944' 

